This year, California has endured some of the most devastating blazes that have scorched landscapes, destroyed homes and infrastructure, and displaced communities. But while wildfires impact everyone, Latinos are often on the frontlines — leading efforts, building solutions, and pushing for stronger protections for all communities.
The extent of area burned by wildfires each year has increased since the 1980s. Today, more than double the acreage burns compared to the 1980s and 1990s. Over the past 40 years, the average number of acres of forested land consumed by wildfire each year has increased by 1,000%.
Fueled by hotter temperatures, drier conditions, and stronger winds, nine of California’s ten largest wildfires on record have occurred in the last decade. In 2025, the fire season started in January with the Palisades and Eaton fires that burned more than 37,000 acres, destroyed or severely damaged more than 16,000 structures, including homes, schools, and businesses, and displaced 200,000 residents, according to CalFire, making them the third and fourth most destructive wildfires in California history.
Those fires were followed by the Madre Fire (80,000 acres), the Gifford Fire, currently the largest wildfire of the year (131,000+ acres), and the Canyon Fire (5,000 acres). They highlight a sobering reality: California wildfires are not isolated events but recurring crises threatening ecosystems, health, and the economy.
Wildfires are not just about flames. Their impacts reach far beyond the burn zone, filling the air with toxic smoke that drifts for hundreds of miles. Smoke exposure increases risks of asthma, heart disease, and cardiac events, especially for children and the elderly. A California study found that smoke during a severe wildfire event led to a 70% increase in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, with greater risks among communities with fewer resources.
Latinos, who make up more than 40% of the state’s population, are at the center of these challenges — and also at the forefront of solutions. Many Latino workers are essential in industries like construction, farming, landscaping, and caregiving — roles that keep the state running, even when wildfire smoke and heat intensify. These jobs often lack safeguards such as protective equipment, clean-air shelters, or paid sick leave, making advocacy for stronger protections and worker rights all the more urgent.
The economic ripple effects of wildfires are also significant. When harvests are halted, construction projects delayed, or households disrupted by evacuation, Latino families — who play a vital role in California’s workforce and economy — shoulder disproportionate impacts. Yet communities continue to organize for fair contracts, access to unemployment benefits, and stronger health coverage to build long-term stability.
Latino families are also more likely to live in fire-prone areas, yet systemic gaps in disaster planning, insurance coverage, and multilingual emergency communication too often leave them without equal access to preparedness and recovery resources. Despite this, Latino leaders and organizations are pushing for investments that close these gaps — ensuring their communities, and California as a whole, are better protected against future wildfires.
It is because they are the most affected and their values are deeply rooted in connection to nature, protection of family, and a passion for collective well-being that Latinos across California are stepping forward, championing nature-based solutions during Latino Conservation Week that begins Saturday. And they’re advocating for better air quality protections, translation of emergency resources, community-centered disaster planning, and better wildfire preparedness at Latino Advocacy Week, not only for themselves but for the health, safety, and future of all state communities, transforming vulnerability into strength by stepping into leadership roles.
To support this work, I invite you to explore Hispanic Access Foundation’s Wildfire Management Toolkit, which offers resources to expand Latino participation in wildfire management and resilience advocacy.
One thing is clear: wildfires are not going away — in fact, they will only become more frequent and destructive as the climate crisis intensifies, making preparation not optional but essential. Wildfires do not discriminate by political party, ethnicity, or ideology; they are not distant threats but urgent realities already reshaping our landscapes and lives. Meeting this challenge requires all of us working together as a multicultural and interdisciplinary community.
By uplifting Latino voices in advocacy and decision-making, we can build a California where every community is safer, stronger, and better prepared — transforming today’s challenges into a more resilient and united future for all.